


Gate 14

by xFujimoto



Category: Eyeshield 21
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-16
Updated: 2015-10-16
Packaged: 2018-04-26 16:30:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5011774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xFujimoto/pseuds/xFujimoto
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Waiting in the airport terminal, Clifford tries to suppress his eagerness for Marco's arrival...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gate 14

**Author's Note:**

> For my favorite rp partner, Jace, the Marco to my Clifford. His beautiful writing has always lit a fire in me to try and improve my own, to be better, and I'm endlessly thankful for all of the rps we've shared.

Loud—unnecessarily loud. Busy people were coming and going like a seemingly endless wave to anyone not caught up in the fluid motion. Chatter on phones, frantic rushing back and forth, outrageously priced goods being sold at the fast food establishments and overly-cramped stores. Babies screaming, security patrolling around, flight attendants attempting to slip through the crowds.

_What a disgusting mess._

Sitting with hands braced at the back of his head, fingers knit, Clifford seemed set on occupying as much space as possible, a slight slouch to his back, legs spread and stretched out in front of him; He was anything but at ease, despite his apparent attitude. However, the crowded, bustling airport wasn't...uncomfortable. He had been in and out of them his whole life, and truly there were very few things that could make him feel out of place. He adapted well to his surroundings.

But trying to keep track of everything going on around him—especially considering how distracted he currently felt—was admittedly exhausting, and he had already been waiting longer than he had intended. The struggle to keep his emotions in check, maintain a controlled, professional appearance, was difficult.

Flashing a glance up to the closest television, Clifford's brow tightened. _His plane should be here..._ The news hadn't made him tense up, far from it. The truth was that seeing the neat little pixels spell out 'on time,' made Clifford's chest flutter. And _that_  was what made him feel slightly on edge. _Stay in control. Not a big deal._

Clifford stands up, taking a few long strides over to the nearest window. Trying not to seem overly interested, he peers outside at the dreary weather. Overcast, rainy, fog spilling out onto the runway—Clifford had worried the flights would be delayed. Many of them had been, but the one that mattered to him was on time. _Good..._ Clifford's eyes scan over the planes close by, the few taxiing still, the ones pulling up to the terminal, searching for—

"Ah." The soft noise was too faint for anyone else to hear, thankfully, but the fact that it had slipped passed his lips so effortlessly makes Clifford's face flush, just a touch. He brings a hand up to sweep through his hair, the golden locks falling back into place messily, his focus still glued on the plane that was pulling up to the gate.

 _I'm getting too excited. It's not...a big deal._ Clifford clicks his tongue, taking a step away from the window. The initial thought fades though, quickly replaced with a handful of others which flooded over him more overwhelmingly. _He's never been here before...never visited me. It's been, ah, a few months? ...since we've been together. And we've both been so busy lately, our conversations haven't been... Yeah..._

"Too long, ffn..." Clifford sighs under his breath, barely managing to tear his gaze away from the plane. Of course he knew how long it had been specifically: 86 days since he last been in Japan. The thought made his chest twist and tighten even more, and he takes a few steps back towards the row of seats, falling into one unceremoniously.

Through slightly parted lips, Clifford sighs, the small action feeling a lot heavier than he would have anticipated. _I miss him...so much._ Another small sigh escapes him, makes him realize he's sitting on the edge of the seat, hands laced together tightly. He's not relaxed in the slightest, visibly or internally anymore.

 _I wonder, if I do that again... Hah, he was so annoyed._  Recalling the last few moments spent at his hotel suite on his last visit, a twitch of a smile flashed across his face. _Marco's so..._

 

They had been getting ready to go to the airport, rather early in the morning. They seemed to have a hard time getting out of bed, neither one excited to discuss the day's plans. But after they finally got up, finished packing, showered, gotten dressed, and eaten breakfast, they had a few extra minutes. Marco came gliding out of the bedroom, dressed and looking as fine as ever, clothes perfect, stunning, without being over the top, not a hair out of place.

'I know,' Marco said, most likely in response to the way Clifford was hungrily staring him down. Promptly standing up, Clifford had stepped in front of Marco. A hand settling on one of his arms, the other ghosting over the front of Marco's blazer before fingertips trailed up along his neck, Clifford stared down at his boyfriend through thin-slit eyes.

It felt bittersweet. He was leaving soon. Throat tightening more than he would ever admit, Clifford tries to put on a smile, but it's laced with a certain sadness, something Marco clearly doesn't miss. Immediately, Marco deflated slightly, shoulders curving in, expression concerned.

Not wanting either of them to be upset by the impending separation, Clifford softened his expression, leaning down to press a soft kiss to Marco's forehead. "Gorgeous as ever." The compliment was sincere, and it relaxed Clifford. They had always been rather focused on the physical things, it felt better than dwelling on the lingering sadness, something he felt he couldn't do much to dispel.

Before stepping away though, Clifford adopted a more composed smile, swiftly rustling Marco's hair. Letting out a pleased laugh as Marco lamented and whined about his previously-perfect hair, how it would take a few more minutes to fix, and that they really didn't have the time for this kind of nonsense, Clifford started to gather his suitcases, bringing them to the door.

 

A large crowd of people flooding out into the gate caused Clifford to snap away from the memory. Immediately jumping to his feet, not caring in the slightest how eager he now appeared to the people around him (as if they gave a damn in the first place), he started scanning the crowd.

 _Marco..._ Their most recent video calls had been spent making plans for this trip, figuring out what Marco should and shouldn't bring—Clifford repeatedly assured him that there was cola in the States, and that it was impractical to try and bring a two week supply of his own. Marco had also asked Clifford to teach him a few more phrases in English. All of it was settling with Clifford now, watching people spill out from behind the heavy metal doors.

_He's going to be here for two weeks. With me. Just for me. My Marco..._

Clifford spotted the beautiful brown hair streaked with white before anything else. Heart skipping a beat, stomach flipping excitedly, he immediately pushed his body forward. Raising a hand in the air, his voice had no difficulty booming over the crowd of people, "Marco!"

The way Marco looked up when he heard his name was...sweet. There was an eagerness touching his fatigued features after such a long flight, a faint confusion at the fast movements in such an unfamiliar place where his grasp of the official language was less than he would have liked. Clifford beamed as his boyfriend wiggled his way through the crowd, looking a little exasperated at the slight difficulty he had, tugging along a reasonably-sized carry-on bag behind him.

When Marco broke through the crowd, Clifford rushed closer, enveloping him in a firm embrace, pressing a kiss to the side of his head. In Japanese, of course, he greeted Marco, "How was your flight? You look exhausted, let me take your bag... There's a car waiting for us outside, I thought we could go home and relax, have something to eat if you'd like, get some rest. Then, w--

"Clifford."

Hearing his name stopped Clifford mid-sentence, breath hitching, eyes widening. _Fuck, it's so good to hear your voice in person..._ Swallowing thickly, he looked down at Marco again, getting lost, however briefly, in the stunning blue eyes staring back up at him. "...yes?"

As if holding his breath to listen to Marco more clearly, Clifford carefully tucked a stray strand of hair behind Marco's ear, refusing to break eye contact. There was another silent moment shared before Marco finally spoke up, "Baggage, then a cola, and I'm all yours." The smile he flashed up at Clifford made his head spin.

_You're all mine._

"Mm, my Marco..." Tipping Marco's jaw up slightly, Clifford leans down for a kiss, one that starts gentle, becoming more eager and certain. He had missed this. Seeing and hearing Marco over a small electronic screen paled in comparison to being able to hold him, touch him, feel the warmth roll off his flesh.

Pulling away after the kiss, Clifford sighs, allowing himself another moment to examine Marco, drink in his appearance, feeding and satisfying a desperate need he hadn't quite realized was there until a short while ago. Standing to his side, Clifford coaxes the handle of Marco's carry-on bag away from him, slipping an arm around his back, starting to head towards the customs office.

"I'm not sharing you with anyone while you’re here," Clifford remarks, only half-joking. He leans down close to Marco's ear to whisper as they continue to walk, "I've missed you." _So much._


End file.
